safety and security

The safety and security of our students, faculty and staff is our first priority. We are thankful that our campus remains safe and that no one was injured during the events of Wednesday, October 2, 2013. Below are three important pieces of information for you to have in regard to this matter.

Timeline:

At approximately 12:40 p.m., Drury Safety and Security received a call from 9-1-1 regarding a potential threat from an individual who had threatened to go onto a “Springfield college campus and start shooting.”

At 12:42 p.m., Drury Safety and Security called 9-1-1 to report that a student had contacted them regarding two people in a vehicle who were brandishing what appeared to be a gun on the north side of Trustee Science Center on Bob Barker Boulevard.

At 12:44 p.m., six Springfield Police Officers were on Drury’s campus. By 12:50 p.m., Springfield Police had completed their investigation and determined there was no present danger on campus.

At approximately 1:20 p.m., Missouri Highway Patrol arrived at the Trustee Science Center, evacuated the building and completed another search. No suspects were found.

During the time between 12:40 p.m. and 12:50 p.m., two separate and unrelated threats to the university were happening simultaneously, thereby causing some confusion.

Drury’s Armed Intruder Procedures:

In the 2012-2013 school year, Drury’s campus underwent A.L.I.C.E. training, which stands for “Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate.” This training is also known as RUN-HIDE-FIGHT. Individuals not in close proximity to the potential threat are encouraged to evacuate to safety. Those who cannot evacuate safely, are to lock and barricade entry doors, hide, and finally, be prepared to fight if an armed intruder enters the immediate area. Drury’s faculty members followed this training: some by evacuating, and others by locking doors and hiding as appropriate.

Next steps:

Key members of the administration including safety and security, communications, student affairs and campus operations met early this morning to debrief and evaluate yesterday’s response to the potential threats to Drury’s campus. Drury University will continue to review its policies, procedures and communications, and if it is determined that they can be improved, we will make modifications.

We will continue to work with law enforcement and our university community to ensure that our communications and response procedures are optimized to keep our campus safe.

It appears that the incident involving a Drury student and two individuals in a green sedan, who the student says pointed a gun at him, was over a parking dispute. Springfield police confirm that the situation at Drury had no connection to the individual Dustin Leer.

Updated at 2:54 p.m.:

The 9-1-1 Emergency Center contacted Drury Safety and Security stating that Homeland Security received a call regarding an individual named Dustin Leer who was making threats to the Social Security office in Springfield and a judge in the Springfield area, and stated that he would go onto a Springfield college campus and start shooting.

A text message went to Drury students, faculty and staff at approximately 12:57 p.m. notifying them of the call and encouraging them to be aware of their surroundings. At the time the text message was being written, Drury received word that two individuals in a green sedan were driving east on Bob Barker Boulevard in front of Drury’s Trustee Science Center when they flashed what appeared to be a gun at a student who had been parallel parking his car. The car then turned north on Drury Lane. No shots were fired and neither individual got out the car while they were seen on campus.

The Springfield Police Department and Highway Patrol responded and the Trustee Science Center was evacuated, as were other buildings on campus in accordance with Drury’s active shooter training, which encourages individuals who are not at the immediate scene to evacuate the premises and get to safety.

At this time it appears that the two incidents are unrelated. Dustin Leer was arrested by Springfield Police and the student who observed the two individuals in the green sedan on campus did NOT identify Leer as the either of the two suspects.

Drury University is not in lock down. It is safe for students to return to campus. Evening classes are on as scheduled at Drury’s Springfield campus.

About Drury University

Drury offers bright, achieving students a commitment to personalized education and diversity. Students expect - and are expected - to explore great ideas and confront questions that will successfully prepare them for dynamic careers and enhanced lives as active global participants. A Drury education combines professional training with the liberal arts. More than 70 majors and academic programs are available.